Chef’s Notes on Making the Turkey Roulade

Preparing the Turkey Breast for the Roulade

I recommend having your butcher prepare the turkey breast. The recipe requires a deboned and butterflied turkey breast meaning the bone is removed and the breast is cut so it can be rolled into one solid piece.

Meat counters at most stores have attendants who can do this for you. Stores like Whole Foods have experienced staff in butchery and will know exactly what you need.

There is a video link in the instructions should you wish to debone and butterfly the turkey breast yourself.

How Long does it Take to Prepare the Roulade?

It takes approximately 30 minutes to make the stuffing, create the bacon weave and roll the turkey roulade together for cooking.

How Long Does the Roulade Cook?

The cooking time is low and slow requiring about 1 ½ hours plus 5 minutes to crisp up the bacon under the broiler.

Special Trick: No Tying of the Roulade

Normally a roulade is secured with kitchen twine before cooking.

Instead in this recipe foil and parchment paper are placed down first followed by the bacon weave.

The turkey roulade is assembled, placed on the bacon weave for final rolling.

The parchment paper and foil fully enclose the roulade and the foil ends are sealed to keep it in place while cooking without twine.

Turkey Roulade with Apple-Cranberry Stuffing in a Bacon Weave

If you are making a gluten version with wheat panko crumbs.There is a link in the recipe instructions to details and a photo tutorial for making a bacon weave. It's not difficult once getting the hang of the weaving and a wonderful addition to the visual appeal of the roulade.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword apple cranberry stuffing recipe, how to make a roulade, turkey roulade

Instructions

Instructions for making the Apple-Cranberry Stuffing:

Microwave the orange juice for 20 seconds on High (or until it is very warm). Combine the orange juice and dried cranberries in a small bowl covered with plastic wrap. Set aside.

In a large skillet, combine the olive oil and butter over medium high heat. Once the butter has melted add the onion and celery and sauté until softened and onions are translucent (3-4 minutes).

Add the garlic and apple; sauté and additional 1-2 minutes. Turn off heat and pour the orange juice and cranberries into the skillet. Using a stir together scrapping any browned bits from the skillet into the mixture.

Add the thyme, sage, parsley, panko crumbs, 1/2 cup chicken broth (if making it gluten-free), salt and pepper to the mixture and stir to fully combine. NOTE for those making this WITH gluten with actual panko crumbs: the absorbency of wheat panko crumbs and gluten-free panko crumbs may vary. If making this with wheat panko crumbs, start with ¼ cup chicken broth. The stuffing when combined should be wet, not soupy and not just moist. If after adding ¼ cup the mixture seems to need more moisture, add more broth 1 tablespoon at a time.

Instructions for making the stuffed Turkey Roulade and Bacon Weave:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and place an oven rack in the middle of the oven.

Cover the bacon weave with a large piece of plastic wrap and using a rolling pin roll the bacon mat so it is a uniform thickness, and all slices touch without any gaps. NOTE: Do not over roll as thin bacon can break. The mat will be much larger than before rolling it. Set aside to assemble the turkey roulade.

Cover a hard work surface (counter top or large cutting board) with a piece of plastic wrap larger than the turkey breast and place the turkey breast on the plastic wrap.

Using a flat meat tenderizer or a rolling pin, gently pound the turkey breast to a ½ inch thickness. NOTE: The uniform thickness allows consistent cooking of the roulade.

Sprinkle the 1 teaspoon salt and ½ pepper evenly over the exposed side of the turkey breast.

Spoon the stuffing onto the turkey breast and spread it evenly, leaving a ¾ inches (approximate) of the turkey breast exposed between the edge of the stuffing and edge of the turkey breast all around the stuffing.

Starting on one of the long sides of the turkey breast, gently roll the breast over the stuffing until the stuffing is fully enclosed.

Gently lift the rolled breast onto one edge of the bacon weave. Using the parchment paper underneath the bacon, roll the bacon and the turkey breast onto the bacon weave, being careful to not roll the parchment into the bacon covered turkey breast. NOTE: Should the bacon weave not fully cover the ends of the roulade, wrap an additional piece of bacon around each end, tucking the end of the roulade inside. Refer to photo below.

Twist the ends of the parchment to seal the roulade. Wrap the foil underneath the parchment paper around the whole assembly and crimp the ends closed. It will look like a large sausage!

Place the sealed roulade onto the prepared backing sheet and place it into the preheated oven for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes until the internal temperature (the inside middle of the roulade) registers 155 degrees F. Notes on taking the temperature: temperature can be taken by inserting an instant read thermometer through the foil and parchment; do not unwrap the roulade. Test in a few places for an accurate reading.

When the roulade has reached in internal temperature of 155 degrees F, slit open the top foil and parchment being careful not to slice the bacon weave (kitchen scissors are great for this).

Peel back the parchment and foil to full expose the roulade (it is not necessary to remove the roulade from the cooking rack to do this). Poke holes in the foil abound the base of the roulade to allow any rendered bacon fat to drip into the pan below.

Leaving the roulade in the middle of the oven, turn the Broiler on High and allow the bacon to crisp up (it will be fully cooked at this point but will not have browned); approximately 5 minutes (refer to photo).

Remove the roulade and allow it to rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Cut 1/2 inch slices horizontally to serve.

Recipe Notes

The absorbency of wheat panko crumbs and gluten-free panko crumbs may vary. If making this with wheat panko crumbs, start with ¼ cup chicken broth. The stuffing when combined should be wet, not soupy and not just moist. If after adding ¼ cup the mixture seems to need more moisture, add more broth 1 tablespoon at a time.

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